The care guides say to water the baobab once a month. That just seems wrong to me.

We are getting daily highs of 95F/35C and I just don't think the baobab would last more than a day without watering. Maybe two days, but certainly not a month. 

I chopped it off from about 150 cm to about  50 cm wanting it to grow branches and leaves. I don't see how that is possible without a decent amount of water. 

Once a week? Once every other day? 

Succulents do not consume the water from the roots. The roots just take water when it is awailable and store it in the succulent tissues. And that uptake is exxtreamly efficient. The consumption for growth and evaporation is taken from that "warehouse" of water. In order to make this work the roots needs to dry out completely between waterings. If it is above 25 c in the days I water my succulents every two weeks. The ones kept outdoors I never water, they get what they need from the rain.

Tropfrog wrote: Succulents do not consume the water from the roots. The roots just take water when it is awailable and store it in the succulent tissues. And that uptake is exxtreamly efficient. The consumption for growth and evaporation is taken from that "warehouse" of water. In order to make this work the roots needs to dry out completely between waterings. If it is above 25 c in the days I water my succulents every two weeks. The ones kept outdoors I never water, they get what they need from the rain.

I think I will just stop watering it for now. In July and August we have afternoon thunderstorms pretty often and that should be more than necessary. Late September and October are often droughts so maybe water it then. 

Winters it comes inside and I have probably watered it too much in the past. 

This is not a succulent plant.  Its an African tree which has a huge life span and grows to large dimensions.  The common one here is Adansonia digitata

The grow guide you mention is correct.  Watering at the rate you intuitively want to would over-water by a long way and probablykill it.  Though with mine during hot periods I just give a short shot of watering to keep the pot from over heating.  Or keep it under semi-shade to avoid that.  But they grow normally in tropical to equatorial sun.

It's normal habitat is semi-arid to tropical with ave summer temp of 35 to 40 degC.  Temp range is low negative to 45 degC..

Pruning is almost unheard of they are that slow growing.  You can leave them to just take care of themselves.  If you have to prune - prune for direction though they don't need pruning very often. wire young branches.  Wiring and pruning would be done, well, almost never to very infrequently.  Pruning for reticulation will take a very long time.  Basically, they don't need much attention - like P. afra - I class them as semi-bonsai.

As a seedling they will grow straight and fairly quickly but then they slow down and flatten up.  I don't have ready photos of mine to post here.

That is totally wrong. Baobabs is known as the biggest succulent in the world. Yes, It is a tree....A succulent tree. There are no contradictions between tree and succulent.

I urge anyone who reads this to Google if baobabs is succulent or not. It should not be up for discussions. There are no need to discuss facts.

Mmmmmm. A soft wooded deciduous succulent with a fleshy bark.... never seen that in a succulent guide....

Adansonia digitata

There may be other sources for information than succulent guides. The parenchyma where it stores water is in the wood. How else can a tree in africa produce big nutrition rich fruits in the middle of the dry season? It is called the tree of life because of this. It is a very important food and water source in the dry season for many animals that would die without it.

As always, the best way to culture any plant is to replicate the conditions found where they grow naturally.

Tropfrog wrote: There may be other sources for information than succulent guides. The parenchyma where it stores water is in the wood. How else can a tree in africa produce big nutrition rich fruits in the middle of the dry season? It is called the tree of life because of this. It is a very important food and water source in the dry season for many animals that would die without it.

As always, the best way to culture any plant is to replicate the conditions found where they grow naturally.

Changing subject only slightly.  . .

How about cuttings?  I don't think they  could develop roots without some kind of moisture.  Keep them slightly damp? Soaked?

I cannot say for baobabs. But generally succulent cuttings needs to dry up the cut wound for 1-2 weeks before planting them to reduce the risk of rottening. After planting them they should go bone dry until roots are forming. Again.....All the water they need is in the succulent tissue.